Yuppy Puppy Pet Spa Board-And-Train Puppy Training Review

Happy Tuesday, friends…and more importantly…HAPPY 2019!!! I cannot believe that it is finally 2019. This year is going to be my most special one yet and I am so excited to leave 2018 in the dust. While 2018 wasn’t my favorite year, there were a few really amazing things that happened (the lows were low and the highs were high) – namely, adopting our precious buddy ARCHER! Archer is our mix breed pupper and we adore him. He’s a little over 6 months old now and we can’t believe how big he is. He’s such a crazy, hyper, sweet, loving bundle of fluff. Luckily, as excitable as he may be, he really isn’t misbehaved. He listens to commands, is smart and understands training techniques – ALL thanks to Yuppy Puppy Board-And-Train Puppy Training and our incredible trainer, Oscar. Read on to get our full review on the 4 week experience below!

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Yuppy Puppy Pet Spa Board-And-Train Puppy Training Review

This post was sponsored by Yuppy Puppy Pet Spa. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

What IS the Yuppy Puppy training program?

There are a few different options when it comes to training your pup. They have it broken down into 2, 3, and 4 week training increments, with the option to add on extra days or weeks in the future if you need to refresh your pup. They also offer training collars and pet bed (“climbs”) available for purchase during and after your training. The pricing is broken down like this:

• 2 weeks of one on one training. Includes two private lessons with trainer. $600
• 3 weeks of one on one training. Includes 3 private lessons with trainer.   $800
• 4 Weeks of one on one training. Includes 3 private lessons with trainer. $1000

It’s pretty on par with many of training facilities in our area. I was seeing training programs ranging from $800-$1200 for the 4 week program we were looking for. 

How does it work?

The 4 week program we decided on what very straight-forward. Archer was boarded Monday-Friday at their boarding facility, and we got to take him home on weekends. I had my training sessions every Friday before I took him home for the weekend. It worked really well for us that way because we got to see him on the weekends (I was afraid he would forget us – but he definitely didn’t). He stayed at home and we were able to practice all his new commands ourselves. 

We opted to purchase his “climb” bed, and he loves and uses it all the time. It’s basically a raised platform like a military cot. When he needs to calm down, or be out of the way when we have company over, he’s sent to his “climb”. He also goes there on his own when he wants to chew on a toy or take a nap. It was a great investment for us. The large size cost us $65. We also opted to purchase the poke collar and the e-collar (total, that cost us about $180).

What were our results?

Archer is a great dog naturally. He is a fast learner, very food motivated and super eager to please. That made training his a total breeze for Oscar. He won the heart of every person at the spa (to NO ONE’S surprise). 

Archer learned a lot of basic commands over the four weeks that have helped us build onto his training.

1. He no longer barks at us for attention or while we are eating dinner
2. He sits and lays down on command
3. He comes when called
4. He understands ‘no’
5. He is fully potty trained
6. He can wait prior to eating (he can wait before any command, which is ideal when giving toys and treats because he no longer tries to take your hand off)
7. He can climb onto any raised surface – like his bed or the couch – and will usually stay until dismissed.
8. He’s much better around other dogs in terms of listening to commands (again – not PERFECT but he is doing great)
9. He can heel while walking

These are crazy tricks but they are the foundation of a good dog. These are all commands that Oscar was able to instill in Archer over the four weeks, and teach us to be able to continue his training at home. It’s so important that you CONTINUE training after the board and train is over, because puppies will forget. It’s like summer vacation after school – you lose some of the info. Luckily, with persistence on our part and taking to heart the information Oscar gave to us, he’s done a fantastic job at retaining so much of the information learned.

Like I said – Archer isn’t perfect. He’s still a baby and we still have lots of training to do and teach him – but the foundation is there. He understands commands, he knows we are in charge, and he wants to please us. I’m beyond proud of him and the good dog he’s becoming.

DISCLAIMER: This training center uses the poke collar and the ecollar as part of their training technique. I’m aware that this can be controversial (many trainers have differing opinions) but after speaking to several other trainers, and our veterinarian, Adam and I decided we were fine with this type of training. The poke collar doesn’t hurt Archer at all, and in fact, it supports his trachea while we walk him because he tends to pull. With the collar, he almost completely stops pulling and walking because a much happier experience for everyone involved. The ecollar has also been really great in helping Archer not only learn his commands faster, but also controls his barking while he is in his kennel and while we train him to be off leash. We use it on the lowest setting, and it works really well for us. 

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We knew we wanted to do a board and train program as soon as we adopted Archer. Immersive programs like this are the best way, in my opinion, to get your dog ready to be a new member of your family. It can stop bad behavior before it ever starts or becomes a problem, and help you as the owner to understand dog behavior and assist you in knowing how to correct situations appropriately. 

I loved Yuppy Puppy Pet Spa because they treated me like family, loved Archer while he was there for the week (I never worried he was going without pets and snuggles), they are reasonably priced. They wanted Archer to succeed as much as did. They made the entire experience a total dream. If you live in the St. Louis area – this is absolutely where you to need to go when it comes to boarding and training your dog. And ask for Oscar – he was truly wonderful to work with. I love how much attention he gave Archer, and Archer clearly adored him. He is a natural with dogs and really knows what he is doing.

Let me know if you’ve ever boarded and trained your dog below! Where did you go? What was your experience? I’d love to know!